Joliet Mexican Independence Day parade back on after community steps in to help

Marge Franchini-Rodriguez photo

The Joliet Mexican Independence Day parade often draws thousands of spectators, organizers and city officials said.

The Joliet Mexican Independence Day parade often draws thousands of spectators, organizers and city officials said. (Marge Franchini-Rodriguez photo)

Alicia FabbreChicago Tribune

Mexican Independence Day will be celebrated the same way it has been for more than 50 years in Joliet — with a parade and a queen.

Last month, parade organizer Marge Franchini-Rodriguez announced that the 56th annual Fiesta Patrias parade to celebrate Mexican Independence Day would be canceled for the first time in its history. She cited a lack of funding and a past-due bill to the city for last year’s police patrols at the parade.

But with some help from the community and Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, the parade is back on for Saturday, a day before the actual Independence Day. O’Dekirk, who pledged $1,000 from his campaign fund to cover last year’s expenses, helped contact sponsors to make sure the parade marches on.

“It’s always been a Joliet tradition,” the mayor said.

The parade is believed to be the largest in Joliet, often drawing thousands of spectators, organizers and city officials said.

“The only one that comes close to it in attendance is the Christmas parade,” said Robert Hernandez, who helped facilitate discussions between the parade committee and the mayor’s office. The 57-year-old Joliet man has marched in the parade since he was a teenager.

“We’re extremely grateful to the mayor for saving this parade,” he added.

Franchini-Rodriguez also expressed gratitude to O’Dekirk, Hernandez and the city’s police department for their assistance with the parade.

The parade will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday and march along Collins Street. A parade queen also will be selected.

Contributions are still being sought to cover this year’s parade expenses. In past years, patrol for the parade has cost about $12,000, Franchini-Rodriguez said. The committee has relied on reserve funds to help cover shortfalls as donations have dwindled, but she said there are no longer any reserve funds.

Both Franchini-Rodriguez and Hernandez have said the future of the parade will depend largely on the support from within the Hispanic community. The parade committee also could cut costs by moving the parade to the downtown district and off Collins Street and out of the Hispanic business district.

The community needs “to be more active so that we don’t have this problem in the future,” Hernandez said.